If Only It Wasn't So Complicated
by Azulastalker
Summary: The regular Naruto storyline, but with a new character thrown in. She just moved to the Leaf Village/Konoha and makes a new friend. She ends up getting involved in more than she bargained for. Worth it, I promise. Itachi/OC
1. Chapter 1

Kyoko Shinki, long dirty blonde hair and green eyes, stood at the front of her new house, arms crossed, staring angrily at her dad. He walked by her with another box to unpack.

"You can glare at me all you want, but there's no changing it now." He told her, not even looking at her.

She stomped her foot angrily, then turned to grab a box to put into the house. It was labeled 'Kitchen', so she took it into their new kitchen. Her father's wife was standing there, already putting things away. Darn neat freak. She wasn't Kyoko's real mother. Her real mother was in the Peach Village. It was complicated, but Kyoko's parents hadn't been married when she was born and didn't like each other enough to get married, so her father married Tama instead. Tama had a son named Dai from that same type of situation. Kyoko had never liked either of them, and certainly didn't like moving to another village with them for her father's job. She was told she would live with her father for the rest of her life because her mother had become sick and could no longer provide for 12-year-old Kyoko.

So here she was in the Leaf Village aka Konoha. Her father was a mediator of sorts, he solved disputes between people or villages. Kyoko had no idea what sort of job he had here, but she was told it was very important.

"Oh good, can you put that box over there?" Tama asked Kyoko, putting to a corner of the kitchen. Kyoko did as she was told then went to get more boxes.

She passed 5-year-old Dai on her way back to the front door.

"Mom! Can you find my pencils and paper so I can draw?" Dai loudly asked Tama.

"You want me to what? Dai Shinki, you help me unpack these boxes or you'll never see your pencils and paper again!" Kyoko smiled as she heard Tama's response.

"But moooooom!" Dai complained.

"No buts, Dai! You-" Kyoko heard no more of the conversation as she walked back outside via the front door.

She stopped as she saw her father and another man, wearing Konoha ninja clothes, having what looked like a staring match. The other man, about Kyoko's father's age, had dark brown hair and somewhat tan skin. He spotted Kyoko as she came outside. His gaze shifted to her as he saw her, then back to her father.

"You're Chizo Shinki?" The other man asked her father.

"Yes. I've just moved here with my family. My wife, daughter, and son." Chizo paused slightly on 'son'. He didn't really consider Dai his son.

"I'm Fugaku Uchiha, Captain of the Konoha Military Police Force." He held his hand out. Chizo shoke it.

"I'm a mediator. But I guess you already knew that." Chizo said. Kyoko felt like they were communicating in secret code, the way they were talking.

"I did. I know about all the new villagers." Fugaku's gaze slid over to Kyoko. "Your daughter? How old?"

"Twelve." Kyoko spit out quickly. Her father looked at her with a look that said 'Stay out of this'. Fugaku's gaze shifted back to her father.

"We'll examine their skills, both of your kids, and put them in the appropriate classes. With any luck, they'll be exactly where they're supposed to be, maybe even higher." Fugaku told Chizo. He nodded.

Fugaku wasted no time in getting out of there. Chizo turned to his daughter.

"Go help Tama, would you?" He asked her. Kyoko could see he didn't want to discuss what had just happened, so she nodded and went back into the house.

* * *

Kyoko had successfully made it into her correct rank. She wasn't behind or ahead, just right. She even got a Konoha headband for achieving the rank of Genin. She got a squad with two other boys who she would harm if they talked down to her because she was new. Her sensei was Kurenai. Kurenai didn't treat Kyoko like she was stupid or unskilled. Kyoko liked her for that. The kids would whisper about who they heard she was and why she was here, but most of it would be about her father and his job. Kyoko got angry at these and sometimes punched the kids who said disrespectful things about her father. Even she knew that there was something fishy going on, but these nosy brats didn't deserve to know about it if she didn't.

She was on her way home one day when she passed in front of the Police Force building. She paused for a minute in front of it, remembering the mysterious man who had talked to her father their first day in Konoha. She jumped when she heard someone behind her, her books and scrolls falling to the floor.

"That's the Konoha Military Police Force Headquarters." Kyoko spun around to see a boy her age with long black hair in a ponytail, black eyes, a Konoha headband, and lines in his cheeks.

Both Kyoko and the boy bent down to pick up her books and scrolls. The boy began rerolling one scroll when he paused, reading what was on it.

"Nature chakra? Isn't that a little advanced?" He asked her.

Kyoko blushed slightly. His voice. His attractiveness.

"Well I just wanted to study it. Find out what all of the fuss was about." She told him nonchalantly.

"It takes a lot of skill; it would be very unlikely for someone your age and rank to master it." He said, finishing with the scroll and handing it to her. They both stood up.

"Who said I was trying to master it?" She said defensively. The other kids' teasing and whispering had gotten to her.

He held up his hands in defeat.

"I was just stating a fact. I think it's interesting that someone your age is interested in advanced jutsu like that. My name's Itachi by the way, Itachi Uchiha." He held his hand out and she shook it.

"Kyoko Shinki."

"You and your family just moved here, right?" He asked.

"Yeah. It's been hard fitting in." She confessed.

"Well if you ever need help with jutsus or anything, just come find me. I became a chunin at 10. Just come to the Uchiha compound and ask for me." Kyoko nodded at his statement.

"Itachi. Don't talk to her." Kyoko turned around, towards the entrance of the Police building, and saw Fugaku. It clicked in her head, Fugaku Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha. They were related. Fugaku didn't look happy she was there either.

Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly in suspicion, then widened them back to normal.

"Of course, Father." Father?

"And you, Miss Shinki, stay away from Itachi. He has a lot of training to do to become ANBU." ANBU? How old was Itachi? He had looked around her age.

"Of course, Mister Uchiha." Kyoko bowed slightly to Fugaku and walked briskly away from the situation.

She shook her head as she walked. There was something going on with Fugaku Uchiha and her father. Something that was making her hated. She needed to find out what.


	2. Chapter 2

Kyoko came home from training with her squad to find Tama running around frantically with Dai close by trying to help.

"Umm . . . What's going on?" Kyoko asked. Tama passed by with Dai's special occasion clothes in her hands.

"Kyoko! I'm glad you're here! Quick, get changed. No time for a shower, but wash your face!" Tama told her quickly.

Kyoko looked at her confused.

"Dad!" Kyoko screamed into the house as she took her shoes off.

Her dad came out looking disgruntled.

"What?" He asked impatiently.

"What's going on?" She asked, hands on her hips and her shoes off.

"We're going over to dinner at the Uchiha house. Dress nice and try to impress them." Chizo turned around and Kyoko heard him murmur to himself. "The village depends on it."

She shook her head to try to forget that low whisper of a comment(what did it mean?) and went into her room to get dressed. She pulled out one of her nice kimonos. It was pink with designs and had a light green sash. Kyoko quickly washed her body of any visible dirt and put it on. She grabbed her fancy sandals and left her room to go to the front of the house. Tama was fixing last minute things on Dai, who squirmed in protest.

"Stay still! Oh Kyoko! Your hair!" Tama quickly detached herself from her son and, using a brush that seemed to come out of nowhere, began to brush the tangles out of Kyoko's hair. Then she put it in an updo.

Chizo came out to them and, after making sure that everyone was ready, they all left.

"Why are we going over to their house for dinner?" Dai pouted as they walked.

"Because they're nice people and we need to get more friends in this village." Tama told him. She looked to Chizo for support, but his face was emotionless. Kyoko wondered why they would go to their house when it was obvious that the Uchiha's didn't like them. Or maybe these were other Uchiha's.

They went into the Uchiha compound and walked to the house. Chizo knocked on the door and Fugaku Uchiha opened it.

"Hello Chizo." He said flatly. He didn't look too happy that they were here.

He opened the door fully. "Please come in."

The Shinki family stepped inside the Uchiha house. The rest of the Uchiha family were waiting in their best clothes. Kyoko recognized Itachi and saw who she figured was his mother and younger brother.

"This is Mikoto, my wife, and my two sons, Itachi and Sasuke." Each person bowed as they were introduced.

"Nice to meet you all." Chizo said, bowing in return. "This is my wife, Tama, and my children, Kyoko and Dai." They each bowed respectively.

"I have dinner waiting for us. If you would just follow us to the dining room . . . " Mikoto said, leading the way into the dining room.

The dining room was just two tables brought together to form a table big enough for the eight of them.

"I brought you a plate of dango for dessert." Tama presented said plate to Mikoto, who took it smiling.

"Why thank you! Itachi loves dango!" Mikoto said.

"Really? So does Kyoko! And Dai too." Tama added her son as almost an afterthought.

They all kneeled at the table, Uchiha's on one side and Shinki's on the other. The dinner was pretty quiet, only the fathers talked.

"Itachi's already a chunin and he's almost in ANBU." Fugaku gloated to Chizo.

"Kyoko is advanced, she just doesn't apply herself as hard as she needs to." Kyoko felt her father's glance at her as she scooped more rice into her mouth.

"Plus Itachi's an Uchiha prodigy. He graduated from the academy at the age of 8." Fugaku rubbed in Chizo's face. Kyoko could see her father try not to get upset.

The rest of the dinner passed in silence. Kyoko sent a few glances Itachi's way. She was curious about him, and he was pretty easy on the eyes. He caught her glancing once, but it didn't bother her, it's not like she was checking him out.

Finally dinner was over and Fugaku and Chizo stood up.

"Aren't you at least staying for dessert? I made these dangos!" Tama complained.

"We have matters to attend to." Chizo explained briefly before both men walked out of the room.

The dangos were brought out and the children immediately grabbed for them. Kyoko and Itachi reached for the same dango, but Kyoko withdrew her hand.

"You can have it." Itachi told her.

"No, it's your house. You take it." Kyoko shook her head.

"But you're the guest and your mother made them." Itachi retorted.

Before Kyoko could argue, Dai snatched the dango in question. Kyoko glared at him slightly before reaching for her own.

Dessert was over quickly with four children eating the dango and the two mothers gathered the dishes.

"Kyoko, could you help us wash the dishes? You can dry." Tama asked.

"But mom! I want Kyoko to play with me! I haven't seen her all day!" Dai protested.

"She's wearing her best kimono, Dai! She is not going outside and playing with you!" Tama argued.

Kyoko really didn't want to help with the dishes, she got enough of that at home.

"Well you only really need two people to do the dishes anyway, don't you?" Kyoko half-asked half-explained to Tama. Tama stared at her for a few seconds.

"I guess, but-" Tama didn't get to finish as Dai grabbed Kyoko's arm and dragged her out of the room.

Dai dragged her into the front room where Itachi and Sasuke were. Dai's pulling had dragged Kyoko's kimono down until it showed her one shoulder. She pulled it back up, but not before seeing Itachi glance at the exposed skin.

"So what are we doing?" Kyoko asked Dai. She put her hands on her hips.

"Sasuke, why don't you and Dai play outside? And don't get dirty." Itachi half-commanded Sasuke.

"But big brother . . . " Sasuke began to whine.

"Dai needs someone to play with and Kyoko is currently in no state of dress to do so." Itachi told him.

Sasuke reluctantly nodded in agreement and both he and Dai went outside, closing the door behind them. Itachi walked next to Kyoko and put his mouth near her ear.

"Come with me. We need to talk." He whispered in her ear. It sent shivers down her spine, but she followed him as he walked deeper into the house.

Kyoko followed Itachi into what she assumed was his room. She got bad vibes from this. He was good-looking, but that didn't mean she was ready to jump into bed with him. Itachi closed his bedroom door and lit a lamp. He sat on his bed and patted the space next to him, indicating her to sit down next to him. She did hesitantly.

"You're scared and weak. You have barely any friends and I highly doubt you will make any." Itachi told her. She was shocked at his bluntness. "That's why I want us to be friends. I want to . . . confide in you. Both of our lives will get very difficult soon, and we both will need that one person to talk to."

He paused, waiting for her to accept. Instead, she asked:

"Difficult? Difficult how?"

"I will explain everything, if you agree to let me confide in you." Itachi explained.

Kyoko thought for a second, then, after seeing no other option, accepted.

"And I will help you with your Nature Chakra training. Someone at your level will need a more experienced shinobi teaching them balance." Itachi further elaborated.

Kyoko thought for a second that he was rubbing his rank in her face, like his father, but realized that he was being genuinely honest. She would need his help at mastering it.

"Alright. Now explain. How will our lives get difficult?" Kyoko accepted.

"Do you know what your father is really here for?" Itachi began. Kyoko shook her head.

He was about to elaborate, when his door was thrown open.

"Itachi! What is she doing in here?" Fugaku yelled at his eldest. Chizo was standing behind him.

"Kyoko. Let's leave." Chizo told Kyoko.

"But dad-" She protested.

"NOW." Chizo commanded. Kyoko reluctantly left Itachi's room and house altogether. Tama and Dai were waiting for them outside.

"What was that about? I was making friends!" Tama hissed.

"Not with them you aren't. Stay away from any and all Uchiha's." Chizo explained briefly.

Tama, Dai, and Kyoko slowly began to follow Chizo home. None of them knew the reason behind their sudden departure.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so sorry! I know you've all been waiting for this a while, but I finally got around to writing it again. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon.**

Kyoko was out in the forest training with her squad. Kurenai had instructed them to hide and, when she said so, try to catch the other two. It was similar to tag in the respect that all they had to do was touch their teammate to get them out. They had been hiding for ten minutes when Kurenai had told them to start trying to catch the others. No one had gotten out so far, and another ten minutes had almost passed. Kyoko was using the few things she had learned from the nature chakra scrolls to extend her chakra through the chakra of the trees and ground to locate her teammates. It had worked just enough so that she could sense three other chakras, but not which ones were which. She retracted her chakra and took a breath. It had tired her out and she doubted that she could win this exercise now. She heard leaves rustle and quickly rolled out of the way of some kunai. She jumped into the branches and quickly tried to extend her chakra through the trees to have them grab the ankle of her attacker. She had managed to just grab the top of their foot when they threw more kunai at her. She ducked and the restriction on their foot tripped them and Kyoko managed to touch them.

"Got you!" Kyoko yelled. Kurenai appeared.

"Good job, Kyoko. Nadee, you're out." Kurenai said, then she disappeared.

"Ha!" Kyoko gloated. In her victory, she didn't notice her other teammate, Adal, sneak up behind her.

"Got you, Kyoko!" He yelled. Kurenai appeared again.

"Good job, Adal. That's all for today. Tomorrow we'll practice better techniques to mask our chakra." Then Kurenai disappeared again.

* * *

Kyoko was on her way home from training with her squad, pondering whether or not she should stop for some dango, when she turned and saw the academy was letting students out for the day. She noticed a blonde-haired boy sitting by himself on a swing and people were standing at a distance away from him. She paused in her walk, debating whether or not to talk to the kid. He seemed very upset about something, probably his current situation. She decided to go over and talk to him when someone stepped in her way. She recognized Itachi Uchiha.

"We need to talk." He said briefly. Then he walked away, expecting Kyoko to follow. She glanced once more at the blonde boy before following him.

* * *

Kyoko followed Itachi into the forest, away from any people. He finally stopped when the only chakra that could be felt was their own. He turned to face her, a serious expression on his face.

"I told you our lives would become difficult soon, and they will. I brought you here to explain why." He said, a slight wind blew past them.

"My father is planning a coup. He's planning a complete takeover of Konoha. Your father was brought here as an attempt by the Hokage to stop him. From the last time we saw each other, it's obvious that it is not going well. If my father goes through with this, Konoha will become weak, and the Fourth Great Shinobi War will start. People will die. I will not let that happen."

He paused, awaiting Kyoko's response.

"What are we going to do?" She asked softly, seeing no hope.

"If your father cannot stop mine, I will have to kill my entire clan." Itachi revealed.

Kyoko gasped. No.

"How . . . How can you possibly do that? You cannot possibly be able to kill them all." Kyoko asked.

"If need be, I will ask for help. From other sources." He looked straight at her as he said this. "I have dragged you too far into this already. I will not make you murder innocent people."

Kyoko squeezed her eyes shut, thinking it all over.

"What part do I play in all of this?" She asked him, opening her eyes.

"I need someone. Someone to talk to. Someone to keep me sane during such chaos. You're involved in all of this. I'll train you, you'll become a great ninja. If I have to murder my clan, I cannot stay here, but I can leave behind a great shinobi." Itachi let his eyes drift over Kyoko as she pondered his words. He would admit to himself that she was cute.

"Okay." She said, after moments of silence. "I'll do it. I'll help you. I'll be your friend. I'll help you through this time."

Kyoko stared right at him. A smile broke across her face.

"So when do we start training? I'm interested to see what the great Itachi Uchiha can teach me." She asked.

Itachi smiled back.

"Now, if you wish." He replied.


	4. Chapter 4

Kyoko and Itachi were walking towards the dango shop, as they usually did after training. Kyoko was improving quickly, having a knack for Nature chakra. She could now feel it all around her and manipulate it much easier. Itachi was even teaching her a lot about chakra manipulation in general. They were walking down an alley, for a shortcut, when a group of boys ran past them. Kyoko noticed that blonde boy with them, and when she paid more attention, she realized that he was being chased by the other boys.

"Hey!" She turned, ready to sprint after the boys. Itachi put a hand over her shoulder.

"Don't. You don't understand who he is." He told her.

"You don't understand! They can't do that!" She shot back.

Kyoko gave Itachi her bag and ran after the boys, pooling chakra at the soles of her feet to run faster. She soon caught up with them and gathered chakra around her, using it to split the group of boys and throwing them against the walls on either side. Only the blonde boy was left untouched and Kyoko grabbed him to stop him from running.

"What was that?!" She shouted at the pursuers.

They gathered themselves and stood up properly.

"He's unwanted! Nobody likes him!" One boy explained.

"Nobody is unwanted." Kyoko spat. She held the blonde boy close to her body. He only came up to her shoulders. She stared down at him. "What's your name?"

He stayed silent for a moment.

"Naruto." He finally said.

"A wonderful name. Now Naruto, if these or any other people give you trouble, you tell me and I'll take care of them. My father has connections to the Hokage." Kyoko explained.

Naruto nodded, made a face at the other boys, and walked away. Kyoko glared at the boys.

"Now leave." She ordered.

"But-"

"Leave." She said more sternly.

The boys got the hint and left in the other direction. After they were gone, Itachi appeared by her side.

"You did a good thing." He said.

"They can't just do that. It's not right. What did he do anyway to deserve such hate?" She asked.

"He was born." Kyoko gave Itachi a confused look. "I'll explain at the dango shop."

He gave her bag back and put his arm around her shoulder in a mentorly gesture, guiding her to the dango shop.

* * *

"Lord Hokage, I do not know if I can stop the Uchihas." Chizo Shinki said, bowing his head. "They are so determined. They are right in some respects, they have been wronged, but they will come to no compromise. I am sorry."

The Hokage stared at Chizo, absorbing the information.

"Keep trying. If they are still resilient, I have another plan. Do what you can, I am not angry if you fail." The Hokage said.

"Very well. Thank you." Chizo said, bowing his head and leaving.

* * *

Kyoko twirled her empty dango stick, thinking about what Itachi just told her.

"So he has this demon in him? And everyone hates him because of it?" She asked.

Itachi nodded.

"But that demon isn't him. He's his own person. People just can't judge him for something that happened that he couldn't control." Kyoko ranted. Itachi shrugged.

They looked at the plate between them. There was only one dango left.

"You can have it." They both said at the same time. Kyoko blushed slightly and coughed.

"No. Take it. You're paying for this anyway." Kyoko told him.

"But you're my student, and you need as much energy as you can get to keep up with me." A teasing glint was in his eye. Kyoko looked at him, playful hurt by his statement.

"You think I'm weak? I'm pretty sure I've been able to keep up with everything you've been doing." She retaliated. He chuckled.

"Oh really?" He began, but he quickly stopped. His face turned serious as he stared at something past Kyoko. She was just about to turn around to look when she heard it.

"What are you doing with her, Itachi?" She heard the voice of Fugaku Uchiha. She froze in her movements. "I told you never to talk to her."

"I'm sorry, Father. I was just-"

"I don't care what you were doing. Get home now."

Itachi stood up and placed some money on the table. Then he walked past Kyoko and went home. She was still too scared to turn around.

"And you. Stay away from my family." Fugaku spat at her. She heard him begin to walk away.

"Don't hate me because of my father." She turned around and spat at him.

He stopped.

"I don't hate you because of your father. I hate you because you're beginning to meddle in something you shouldn't be." He said, not turning to look at her. He walked away.

Kyoko sat, thinking about his statement. She knew he wanted her to stop talking to Itachi, but Itachi needed her. They needed each other. Yet his father wanted them to have nothing to do with each other. She didn't want to think of the extents he was willing to go to keep them apart. Continuing to meet could have disastrous consequences, but they couldn't afford not to keep meeting. She was beginning to see how this was getting complicated.


End file.
